NONE
Research and development of this invention and Application have not been federally sponsored, and no rights are given under any Federal program.
NOT APPLICABLE
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to window displays, in general, and to an illuminated window display to reflect a time of year or to celebrate an occurrence or happening, in particular.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is well known and understood, window displaysxe2x80x94and specifically illuminated window displaysxe2x80x94profligate around Christmas time and to the 1-2 months thereafter, and then continue at a lesser rate during the remainder of the year. With the illumination frequently being provided by candlestick light, it is not unusual to see decorations of such type in many windows facing the street. By and large, however, such displays usually are of the candlestick light itselfxe2x80x94typically colored white, blue or greenxe2x80x94without much else. As will become clear from the following description, the illuminated window display of the present invention allows for a selected type of window presentation which affords more than just the candlestick light, but one which can be tailored to correlate with a holiday season of the year, with a secular or religious event, or with almost any other occasion one might think of, e.g. the birth of a newborn.
As will be seen below, the illuminated window display of the preferred embodiment incorporates a candlestick light, as before, together with a substantially vertical panel having a rearwardly extending shelf on which the candlestick light rests and a pre-cut configured opening for transmitting the illumination therethrough. One of a plurality of selectively interchangeable frames are included, coupled with the panel, with each of the frames having its own window opening in alignment with that of the pre-cut panel opening. One of a plurality of selectively interchangeable decorative displays of predetermined design are additionally included, insertably securable between the candlestick light and the one frame then in position in providing the illuminated presentation via the window opening. In accordance with the invention, the one selected frame and the one selected decorative display are selected in correlation consistent to provide an overall theme to the illuminated presentation afforded thereby. Thus, for example, the frame selected might be in the form of a trimmed blue spruce for a December-January showing, with a decorative display of Christmas Tree ornamentations shining through. For a St. Patrick""s Day presentation in March, alternatively, the frame may be one of Leprechauns and Shillelaghs, with a decorative display of Shamrocks shining through.
With the candlestick light preferably providing an illumination of the order of 10 watts or less, the decorative display to shine through may be insertably secured between the candlestick light and the panel, on the one hand, or between he panel and the one selected frame, on the other hand.
In these preferred constructions, the substantially vertical panel, the individual decorative displays and the individual frames may each be attachable and foldably openable for usexe2x80x94while at the same time, detachable and foldably flattenable for storage. When opened, the decorative display selected for illumination may be secured by sliding within a holder on one of front and rear sides of the substantially vertical planexe2x80x94which, in turn, could be secured with the panel by a hook-and-loop adhesive. Fabricating the substantially vertical panel and the selected frames of a plastic composition in this manner, or of a corrugated plastic or of a stiff cardboard composition as an alternative, allows the design of the decorative panel to shine through and to stand supported for use. Employing the candlestick light of this relative wattage affords the illumination needed to highlight the design when in a window placement, without their becoming too hot to manually turn off by a counter-clockwise rotation, for example, of the bulb being employed. Because of the plastic or stiff cardboard composition of the components of the display, and because of the relatively low wattage of the candlestick light, such an illuminated window display could be manufactured at a low enough cost to permit retail sales at such an affordable price as to allow for multiple purchases for placements simultaneously in a multitude of windows.
As will be appreciated, the decorative display selected could be translucent to the illumination from the candlestick lightxe2x80x94or opaque to it, but with cut-outs to pass portions of the illumination, only.